DAMAGE INSPECTION

SHIP STRUCTURE

When a vessel requires repairs to damaged equipment or to the hull

it is necessary for the work to be carried out to the satisfaction of
the classification society surveyors. In order that the ship maintains
its class, approval of the repairs undertaken must be obtained from
the surveyors either at the time of the repair or at the earliest
opportunity.
Terminal operators should be aware of the damage that their cargo
handling equipment can inflict on the ship's structure. It is
important that the protective coatings in cargo holds and water
ballast tanks are maintained.

Any fork lift truck or other vehicle used on board must operate in an
area free of obstructions. Because of the danger from fumes, units
powered by diesel and petrol engines are not usually suitable for
use within the confines of a ship's hold unless adequate ventilation
is available. (N.B. Diesel and petrol fumes can also taint some
sensitive cargoes). Any bridging used to improve working areas
(e.g. flared holds in bow and stern) must be of adequate strength to
accept the wheel loading of the equipment and its cargo. The same
strength requirement also applies to permanent equipment such as
limber boards and permanent dunnage.

The cargo holds and deck areas should be inspected by the ship's
deck officers upon completion of cargo discharge to identify any
signs of physical damage, corrosion or coating damage to the ship's
structure. Where hull damage is identified, which may affect the
integrity of the hull structure and the seaworthiness of the ship, it
should be reported accordingly to the classification society.
  cargo watch on deck should monitor stevedore grab handling
and damage. Crane drivers should be advised to take care not
to damage ship structure
 cargo watch on deck should monitor ballast operations
 cargo watch on deck when the ship is carrying water-sensitive
cargoes should identify the potential for water to leak from a
crack or damage in the hold plating following grab damage
 consider gravitating ballast, to reduce pressure on ballast tank
structures
 a rigorous sounding regime should be maintained in port

The internal hold structure and protective coatings in the cargo hold
and the adjacent double bottom are vulnerable to damage when the
cargo is discharged using grabs. The weight of empty grabs can be
35 tonnes. Other types of equipment employed to free and clear
cargo, including hydraulic hammers fitted to extending arms of
tractors and bulldozers can inflict further damage to the ship's
structure, especially in way of the side shell and the associated
frames and end brackets. Chipping (sharp indentations) and the
local buckling or detachment of side frames at their lower
connection could lead to cracking of the side shell plating which
would allow the ingress of water in to the cargo space.

The protective coatings which may be required to be applied in the

cargo hold are also subject to deterioration caused by the corrosive
nature of the cargo, high temperature cargoes, cargo settlement
during the voyage and the abrasive action of the cargo. Where no
protective coatings have been applied or the applied protective
coatings have broken down, the rate of corrosion in that area will
greatly increase, especially when carrying corrosive cargoes, such
as coal.
Regulation 6: Structural and other requirements for bulk carriers
(This regulation applies to bulk carriers constructed before 1 July
1999)

1) Bulk carriers of 150 m in length and upwards of single side skin

construction, carrying solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780
kg/m3 and above, shall comply with the requirements of this
regulation in accordance with the implementation schedule specified
in regulation 3.

2) The transverse watertight bulkhead between the two foremost

cargo holds and the double bottom of the foremost cargo hold shall
have sufficient strength to withstand flooding of the foremost cargo
hold, taking also into account dynamic effects resulting from the
presence of water in the hold, in compliance with the bulk carrier
bulkhead and double bottom strength standards. For the purpose of
this regulation, the bulk carrier bulkhead and double bottom
strength standards shall be treated as mandatory.

3) In considering the need for, and the extent of, strengthening of

the transverse watertight bulkhead or double bottom to meet the
requirements of paragraph 2, the following restrictions may be
taken into account:

.1 restrictions on the distribution of the total cargo weight between

the cargo holds; and
.2 restrictions on the maximum deadweight.

4) For bulk carriers using either of, or both, the restrictions given in
paragraphs 3.1 and 3.2 above for the purpose of fulfilling the
requirements of paragraph 2, these restrictions shall be complied
with whenever solid bulk cargoes having a density of 1,780 kg/m3
and above are carried.

CARGO COMPARTMENT
The Chief Officer must always carry out a full and final inspection of
all cargo holds before presenting them for shipper's final approval
and acceptance, to ensure that all cleaning work has been carried
out as per his instructions and to his satisfaction, and that he is
satisfied that the cargo holds are in a suitable condition for the
carriage of the next commodity and presentation to the shippers.

The relevant Management Office must be advised immediately of

any expected problem with regard to the holds, passing inspection.
On completion of hold cleaning, the chief officer should carry out a
‘surveyor’s inspection’ in this way:

1. go down the vertical ladder, stopping to inspect the underside

of the upper deck and the hatch end coaming as soon as they
become visible. Look all round, using a strong torch if
necessary, to check that all horizontal surfaces are clean.
Proceed down the ladder, inspecting the bulkhead on each side
and the adjacent parts of the ship’s sides

2. from the tank top, climb accessible pipe guards and inspect
surfaces for residues and rust scale. Check behind frames,
pipes and pipe guards. Walk around the sides and ends of the
tank top, inspecting the bulkheads and ship’s sides. Walk over
the tank top, listening for indications of loose rust scale

3. climb the sloping ladder slowly, inspecting all visible surfaces.

Stop at the top, inside the hold, to inspect the underside of the
upper deck and the hatch end coaming

1. check the insides of any deck houses for grain and insects. Be
aware that some crews have been known to collect grain
residues in sacks to sell at subsequent port calls. Storage of
that sort will almost certainly attract insects
 5. If insects are found in grain residues in a hold, clean the
residues as thoroughly as possible. Spraying the area with a
good-quality insecticide may solve the infestation but do not
try to ‘bomb’ a hold with Lindane (now banned in some
countries) or similar preparations. It is rarely effective and if
surveyors such as representatives of the Australian Quarantine
and Inspection Service notice the ‘bomb’ residues on the tank
top, they will be suspicious

6. be aware that washing a hold will tend to lift hard scale, the
effect not being noticeable until the water has dried. Rust scale
should not require chipping to remove, before a hold is
accepted for grain

7. open and close hatch covers several times before starting to

clean, to shake off residues and loose rust as much as possible

8. pay particular attention to hold number one. This is often the

most difficult to clean because of its shape and additional
structural members. Most surveyors will start a grain survey in
that hold, and if it passes, less attention may be given to the
remaining holds
9. check bilge wells are dry .
10. It is customary to cover bilge well cover strainer plates
with burlap and cement around the perimeter, or there may be
a bolt down system. Some cargoes, such as zircon, andalusite,
titanium slag or chrome ore are contaminated by cement or
cement dust. In these cases, the burlap should be positioned
using marine tape. Kraft paper can be considered for certain
cargoes to prevent dust and silt.
 11. Bilge line testing : One of the most important tasks in
hold preparation is to ensure that the bilge wells, lines and
valves are in a clean and operational condition.

The bilge lines must be tested by a competent person (under

the supervision of the cargo officer) to ensure that the non-
return valves are functioning correctly and not allowing any
flow back of water into the holds. The bilge high-level alarms
must also be tested and confirmed as operational.

Chief Officer: notes and hints on surveyors’ inspection

1. non-government surveyors are usually paid for each job, not

for the time taken to do a job. Anything that speeds up a
survey is appreciated. So be prepared
2. the chief officer, boatswain and a crewman with a hand brush,
hand scraper and bucket should accompany the surveyor, so
that any spot cleaning can be carried out while the surveyor is
in the hold
3. hatch covers should be at least halfway open if the weather
looks like rain; otherwise they should be fully open. The
surveyor will probably ask for cover sections to be ‘tented’ so
that undersides can be inspected. The inside of the hatch
coaming will also be inspected from the deck
4. ensure that the access hatches at each end of every hold are
open. The surveyor may go down the vertical ladder and walk
up the sloping ladder
5. bilge wells must be open for inspection

BALLAST TANK
CMA CGM required an inspection for one of its container ships, the CMA
CGM ANDROMEDA, a 323 meters vessel. They needed to inspect one
ballast tank for general integrity, corrosion status as well as the monitoring of
the anodes within the ballast. The ballast was 15 meters long and 12 meters
deep. Two manholes located at the top of the ballast served as entry points
and the ballast was divided in 2 floors with 3 sections each. Floors and
sections were connected by manholes with dimensions of 600mm by 400mm.
Usually, the inspections of ballasts require three to four men and extensive
safety equipment such as gas and oxygen monitoring detectors, ropes,
flashlights, and harnesses.

Solution and process

Three flights of 10 minutes each with a single pilot were carried out for the
inspection of one tank. All the flights were performed entirely from above the
ballasts with the pilot controlling Elios beyond line of sight (BLOS). The robot’s
collision-tolerance allowed it to navigate safely in contact with the structures,
rolling on the walls when required. The onboard LEDs allowed performing the
inspection without any external lighting. Results

The two ballast tanks, as well as their corrosion monitoring anodes, were
inspected in less than 2 hours from deployment. The general integrity of the
tank, as well as the states of the anodes, were assessed to be satisfactory.
With over 25 similar ballast tanks per vessel and a fleet of several hundred
vessels, a substantial increase in workers’ safety and efficiency of inspection
are achievable with Elios.

HATCH COVER
Basic Procedures
Always Do
1. Carry out regular inspections of the hatch covers, beams and coamings to identify

 General levels of corrosion

 Localized corrosion at welds
 Cracks in joints and weld metal
 Any permanent distortion of plating and stiffeners.
 2. If any cracks detected in main structural joints or local heavy buckling then inform office
immediately
3. Be particularly vigilant after heavy weather.
4. Always rectify any steel to steel faults before renewal of rubber packing, else rubber
packing will be ruined very shortly thereafter
5. Always replace missing or damaged rubber packing’s immediately. [ THE MINIMUM
LENGTH OF REPLACED PACKING SHOULD BE ONE METRE ]
6. Keep cleats in good serviceable condition and correctly adjusted.
7. Keep cleats, and wheels well greased
8. Test hydraulic oil quarterly
9. Ensure oil levels are correct
10. Remember that continuing and regular maintenance of hatch covers and packing’s is
more effective and hence less expensive than sporadic inspection and major repairs.

Always
 Never treat temporary repairs as if these were permanent. The strength of the hatch
cover and ultimately the ship will depend on the quality of repairs . REMEMBER YOUR
SHIP WILL ALSO CARRY OIL HENCE TAKE GREAT CARE OVER REPAIRS.
 Never ignore serious corrosion, cracks or distortions in the covers and
supports/coamings.
 Never APPLY PETROLEUM BASED GREASE OR PAINT ON RUBBER PACKING
 Never leave cleats unfastened when proceeding to sea
 Never open hatch covers at sea unless absolutely essential or keep them unattended if
opened. Ensure the gains outweigh the risks. [ Hatch covers weigh about 78 mt each]